Seed separator



Aug. 28, 1923. 1,466,560

J. E. RAZE SEPARATOR i Filed Feb. 5. 1920 proceeds, the invention resides in the novel ,p

. inclines downwardly at its forward end,'

Patentediug. 28, i923.'

, il l JAMES n. nazie, or ronriiann, onnecn.

snnn' snrnaiiroa.

Application led February 5, 1920. Serial No. 356,521..

To all whom 'it may concer@ Be it known that l, Jiiivins E. RAZR, a citi Zen of the United. States, residing at Portland, in the county of Multnomah and State of Oregon, have invented new "and useful Improvements in Seed Separators, of which the following; isa specification.

This invention relates to seed separators, the generalobject of the inventionbeing to provide a separating structure of simple and improved construction in opcration`wliich will efliciently operate to cause seed'of different kinds to` be separated from each other and to be depositedv in `receptacles to receive them.k

A further object of the invention is to provide a separating device utilizinggravity as an important factor in the separating opi eration, and which, being wholly automatic in operation,.requires no attention.

v 1W ith these objectsv in view, together with others which will appear as the' description construction, combination and arrangement of parts, Yall as will be described more fully! hereinafter, illustrated in the drawings and particularly pointedout in the claims.

In the drawings, i i

Figure l is a fragmentary side elevation of a seed separating machine embodying the preferred form ofthe invention,r

Figure 2 is a similar 'View' showing'a" modified form of the separating device,l

Figure 3 is a detailperspective view of one ofthe separator'plates or platforms einployedf in connection with the separating device. i f

Referring now to the drawings and particularly tov Figure l thereof, the invention' embodies a tiltable platform or plate' G pivoted as at 7 intermediate its ends to an` upright or support 8. This support may be mounted upon any suitable framework or bed, in the present instance being rigidly` fastened to one end of a front or primaryk seed receptaclef). The platform 6 normally fhich overhangs the receptacle 9, and the seed is deposited upon this platform:near4 the rear end thereof through the Vconstricted outlet lO of a hopper ll. y through the said constricted outlet is controlled by a rotary valve l2, the'la-tter being arranged directly7 in or adjacent to said outlet and having a pocket lwhi'ch carries a determined quantity of seed Aand causes it The flow of seed yto bey dropped .in such position as to pass through the outlet l() and upon the inclined platform 6; rlhe'seed therefore is delivered to the inclined platform intermittently and in comparatively small quantities, and by reason of the slight inclination of the platform theroundfseed, such as mustard seed, will b. k, down t le platform `and ed the forward end thereof and into the receptacle 9. The seedV of more or less nature, suoli as alfalfa seed, will not roll and will therefore remain `upon the platform.: It is my! intention to remove the seed which remains upon the platform by tilting the latter rearwardlyto Ysuch degree astoperinit the flat. seed bythe action' of gravity to fall therefrom;

'y A rear or` secondary receptaclel ll is arranged tounderlie the .rear end of the platform and in position Ato receive seed deliveredl from the latter. This vreceptacle has secured thereto an upstanding bracket l5' to which anoperating arm 16 is pivoted intermediate itsends as at 17. The forward action of' qi vity roll forwardly end of this arm is connected to the platform V@by means of a link l8r-the link beingcon- `nected to the platform forwardly of the pivotal support of the latter. K Ashaft i9 is supportedY upon v'suitable standards 20 near the rear end of arm 16, and tliissliaft car-Y ries adriveor' operating'wheel 2l..

operatingV wheel or kpulley is' provided withV ,a ca-m member 22 which acts as atripper This for therearend of arm 1,6. It .is obvious, therefore, that as the drive wheel 2l rotates -in counter-clockwise direction, thev cam or tripp'er member 22 will contact with the rear yend offarm 1G Vand cause the said rear end to be depressed,v whereupon the platform 6 is tilted rearwardly so as to deposit the "contents thereofin receptacle ll. .lifter the trippercam 22 passes beyondtlie rear end ofi' th'eiarinr l.( ithe platform will move back to initial position, vthat is.y in a position inclining forwardly, as `shown by full lines in Figure l. y

Any preferred means for rotating the valve l2 may he employed. As this valve 1 rotates the yquantities ofseed within the Those seed oiferingla greater degreeV of vfricvtional resistance will remain upon. tliefplab form until the tripper mechanism comes into opera-tion, whereupon they will fall into the receptacle 14s. rIhe tripping mechanism is so arranged as to cause the platform 6 to tilt rearwardly to a sulificient inclination to cause the fiat seed to readily fall therefrom into the receptacle 14.

It will be observed from the foregoing` that my invention provides an apparatus in which tlie'liopper Yhas an outlet slot or passage of restricted size arranged for the direct discharge ofthe seed upon the platform 6, and that the valve l2 is arranged within or directly adjacent to said hopper outlet, said valve being circular in cross-section and'peripherally contacting with the walls ofthe outlet and'beingzprovided with a pocket 13 or otherwise so'constructed as to effect the :positive discharge of a predetermined quan- -Itity of seed `at a time directly7 upon the tilt- Vino' )latform `,the said outlet berno therefore h l a n at all times closed against the dischargepof lseed vexcept such seed as are'talrenup and `carried voutwardly vby the pocket 13. rii`his is very important since alfalfa. `mustard Aor flaxseed will lealrthroughV the slightest opening and will notbanlr properly upon the tilting separator platform unless ldirectly depositedthereon in such manneras to provide lfor the deposit of alllthe'seed to be vseparated at thefsame time, so that, vwith proper regard to the degree of inclination ofthe rplatform @separation of the seed in athorough and effective manner will occur ithrough'the travelof one lrind of seed within' a predetermined period faster than an other orthe other kinds of seeds from which 'it is to be separated. This is also important -for the reasonthat tlietime period of travel of' the seed is limited, and provision inustbe made'to allow'tlie seed toseparate for travel Y andtinal separation within such period.- and i, the best resultslare therefore gained by de- `posituig a restricted amount of seed upon forward end of the tripper arm 16. 4hopper 11 is provided with a drmfnwardly7 theftilting platform at one time and making the separatingoperations through the tilting motions of the ltable ina comparatively `rapid manner, so as to admit of the separation a large amount of seed within any cal cul ated working period.Y

The modilied form of `separator shown in Figure Q of the drawings includes the `use of a number of superimposed platforms 6,

all of which are arranged in parallelism..

These platforms are all pivoted as at 7 to a suitable standard or support, and all are connected as b v means of tlielinlrs 18 with the The extending restricted `portion 23, from which constricted outlet spouts Q4: project in such position as to `deliver seed to the various 7spaced platforms@ |I`lie flow of seed from each-.of tliespouts Q4 iscontrolled by pocketed valves 25 similar to valve 12 arranged within the portion 23, the stems 25 of the said valves being connected to arms 25. rlhe arms 26 are connected in unison to a rod 27, so that operationof the rod will cause all of the valves to voperate simultaneously. rElie tripper mechanism in this form of the invention is the `same as that shown in connection with Figure l. The seed falling through the spouts /l to the various platforms (5 will be separated in the manner described, and the tripper mechanism coming into operation will cause all of the platforms 6' to tilt rearwardly at one time so that the seed remaining thereon wilA fall rearwardly into the hopper 111. l

Freni the foregoing it is obvious that I have provided aseed separatingdevice of extremely simple construction and operation and yet which will prove thoroughly eilicientin practice. As has been before stated the control valvelQ in Figure l'yof the drawing maybe-operated in anyprcferred maner, so that the desired quantity of seed be deposited upon the y,platform at the .proper time. In Figure 2of the drawing` the various spouts'Ql discharge their seed contents upon their respective platforms at the same time so that proper `operation of allthe seed separating devices is assured.

It will be understood thatY various changes in theconstructi-on and assemblageofparts may be resorted to without departing from `the spirit ofthe invention as set forth in the claims.

I-Iaving thus fulljT described my invent-ion, I claimz Y 1. In a seed separator, the coniliination of atilting platform,` a centrally pivoted lever fulcrunicd onone side of the center of the fulcruin of vthe platform and having;` one end thereofextending beyond the opposite sideof the center ofA the Yfulcrum of the platform,-a pivotal connection between such end of theV lever and the adjacent portion of the i,ilatform, said lever being` arranged below the level of tlierplatgtorm, moans acting upon the o; posite end of the lever for periodically tilting the same and the platform, and a hopper arranged .immediately above Vthe platform Yand having a controlling Yalve for directly discharging seed upon the platform. A i

2. In a seed separaten the combination of spaced priinarynnd secondary receptacles, a. vhop-per having a restricted discharge outlet, a tilting' yplatform pivotally mounted between its ends, said platform having` one end portion arranged above the primarv receptacle and its other end portion arranged above the secondary receptacle and beneath theliopperoutlet, a rotary valve of circular form in cross-section peripherally contacting with and normally closing the icpper outlet, said valvefhaving apoclret to receive and discharge, on each revolution thereof, a predetermined quantity of seed upon the platform, while at all times closing said outlet, a centrally pivoted lever fulcrumed in rear of the fulcrum of the platform and having its forward end extending forwardly beyond the center of the fulorum of the platform, a pivotal connection between said forward end of the lever and the forward end of the platform, said lever being arranged below the level of the platform, and means acting upon the rear end of the lever for periodically tilting the same and the platform.

In a seed separator, the combination of front and rear receptacles, a hopper arranged above the level of said receptacles .and having a discharge outlet, a valve con- .trolling said outlet, a tilting platform fulcrumed between its ends and having a forward portion in advance of its fulcrum arranged to overlie the front receptacle and a rear portion normally disposed below the hopper outlet and overlying the rear receptacle, a lever centrally pivoted in rear of the fulcrum of the platform and having a forwardly extending end portion projecting in advance of the fulcrum of the platform, a pivotal connection between said forward end of the lever andthe forward portion of the platform, and means acting upon thc rear end of the lever for periodically tilting the same and the` -platform- In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JAMES E. Rizn, 

